Cap with unitary cover support



April 16, 1963 A. OSTWALD CAP WITH UNITARY COVER SUPPORT Filed Dec. 9, 1959 INVENTOR /7wL/ H 0.5724/840,

BY 51M. m ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,085,251 CAP WITH UNITARY COVER UPPORT Adolph Ostwaid, 73 Henry 53%., Staten Island, N.Y. Filed Dec. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 858,373 2 Claims. (Cl. 2-195) The invention herein relates to caps and more specifically to military style caps having an upright head band with a visor on the front of the band.

In brief, the invention discloses a military style cap of a type in which a head cover or cloth or like material is drawn over a frame adapted to support the cover. The invention contemplates that the cap can consist alone of such a cover drawn over an integral frame molded from a plastic resin or similar material. Or the cap frame can comprise, in addition to the upright head band and a visor at the front of the band both constructed in conventional fashion, a unitary support of plastic or like material molded in a closed configuration having a central opening and connected to the top of the band for the head cover.

In either instance the support, or that portion of the frame constituting the direct support for the head cover, has a forward peak and a flexible pleat connecting the rearward portion of the support with the rear portion of the band. By this construction, provision is made both for the extension of the top of the head through the head band and for the vertical adjustment of the cover and support in accordance with the manner in which the cap rides on the wearers head.

The invention has as an object the provision of a cap of simple construction and having a very small number of components. A further object is the provision of a cap which is formed in a single operation. Another object is the provision of a cap which is highly versatile and adaptable to heads of many sizes. Additional objects will become apparent from the description following and the claims appended thereto.

A drawing herewith illustrates, but in no manner limits the invention, a preferred embodiment by which the invention is put into practice. In this drawing, FIGURE 1 shows in perspective a military style cap frame in accordance with this preferred embodiment; and FIG- URE 2 illustrates a section taken centrally through the frame of FIGURE 1.

The cap will be seen to comprise an upright head band 1 having a visor 2 at the front thereof. Connected to the top of the band *1 is a support for the head cover and indicated generally as 3. The head cover is not shown for purposes of clarity. However, it will be seen that the support 3 is so constructed that a head cover of conventional shape, with or without an elastic fringe, can be drawn over the support and firmly engaged therewith.

When the cap is in place upon the wearers head, the top of his head, of course, will extend through the upright band 1 and thus within the central opening 7 of the support 3. In order that the support 3 will be adaptable to various head sizes in this regard and when the head cover is in place, the support 3 has, in addition to the forward peak 6 customary in military style caps, a flexible pleat 4 connecting the rearward portion 5 of the support 3 with the rear portion 8 of the band 1. Preferably, this pleat 4 is a flat or accordion like pleat which lies normally in a plane substantially perpendicular to the rear portion 8 of the band 1.

As has been indicated, the invention contemplates that the frame can be molded from a plastic resin or similar material in a unitary configuration. Thus the support 3 ice . 2 is integral with the band 1 and the visor 2. Or the support 3 can be molded alone from the plastic resin or similar material and then attached to the upright band 1 by some conventional means.

In order that the support 3 be suitably shaped to hold the head cover and allow for the extension of the top of the wearers head therewithin, it is constructed to extend around the entire top of the band 1 in a closed configuration having a central opening 7. Furthermore, the support is constructed to flare first outwardly from the top of the hand then inwardly in a bowl configuration. In conformance with the styling of a military cap, the support, of course, tapers downwardly from the forward peak in a rearward direction to the rearward portion of the support. These features are illustrated in the case of the military style cap frame shown by the drawing herewith.

It will be apparent that the cap frame according to the invention permits head covers of different sizes to be mounted thereover, the support serving to take up the differences in the transverse dimension of the head covers. Moreover, it will be apparent that the head cover, when in position, will conceal the accordion pleat 4- at the rear of the cap. In this connection, it has been found that the pleat should extend preferentially over a distance amounting to approximately one third of the inner periphery of the support 3.

The invention also contemplates that wire means can be inserted about the inside of the support 3 so as to bias the support outwardly to keep the head cover taut.

The invention has also proven to be readily adaptable to use with head bands adjustable to varying head sizes.

it is necessary only that the accordion pleat 4 be flexible, particularly where it is disposed over one third of the inner periphery of the support, and the remainder of the support can therefore be semi-rigid in nature. However, the support, and the entire frame where integral, is preferably molded from a single material of considerable resiliency.

Finally, while the cap frame as depicted can constitute the frame as it is worn with the head cover, but again preferably the head band 1 is lined or padded with conventional means suitable for purposes of making the cap more comfortable in engagement with the wearers head and less likely to induce excessive perspiring in the area of engagement.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A military cap comprising an integrally formed structure including a visor, headband and cover support, said integrally formed structure being molded of plastic, said cover support extending from the upper edge of the headband, said cover support having an inwardly curved upper edge portion, and a flexible pleat interconnecting the rear portion of the cover support with the rear portion of the headband, said flexible pleat being normally disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the rear portion of the headband.

2. A military cap comprising an integrally formed visor, headband and cover frame, the visor, headband and cover frame being formed of the same material, the cover frame being integrally formed with the upper edge of the headband, the cover frame adapted to support a head cover of cloth, and a flexible pleat interconnecting the rear portion of the cover frame and the headband.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,393,270 Schlesinger Jan. 22, 1946 4 Cairns May 4, 1948 Mattsson et a1 July 13, 1948 Lyon Mar. 24, 1953 Kiwad Nov. 3, 1953 .Libshutz et a1. Oct. 26, 1954 Kreinik 'Feb. 14, 1956 Ostwald Apr. 8, 1958 

1. A MILITARY CAP COMPRISING AN INTEGRALLY FORMED STRUCTURE INCLUDING A VISOR, HEADBAND AND COVER SUPPORT, SAID INTEGRALLY FORMED STRUCTURE BEING MOLDED OF PLASTIC, SAID COVER SUPPORT EXTENDING FROM THE UPPER EDGE OF THE HEADBAND, SAID COVER SUPPORT HAVING AN INWARDLY CURVED UPPER EDGE PORTION, AND A FLEXIBLE PLEAT INTERCONNECTING THE REAR PORTION OF THE COVER SUPPORT WITH THE REAR PORTION OF THE HEADBAND, SAID FLEXIBLE PLEAT BEING NORMALLY DISPOSED IN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE REAR PORTION OF THE HEADBAND. 